Users of the modern day internet must often decide between a higher speed internet option (high speed) such as DSL or cable connections and give-up their dial-up capability, or they must continue to use a dial-up connection and suffer through slow connection speeds.
A user who wishes to have a high speed connection available, such as DSL, encounters numerous sources of frustration. For example, assume a user has contacted a high speed connection provider and expressed a desire to have a home DSL connection. The first step the provider will take is contacting the phone company to have the line physically enabled for a DSL connection. This process can take between 2–6 weeks. During this lag time, the provider has the option of sending the user a DSL modem the user is unable to use during the lag time, or they can choose to wait and send it when they receive confirmation from the phone company that the line is enabled. If the user received dial-up service prior to ordering a high speed connection, they will be able to connect with it for the lag time. If the user did not previously have dial-up, they must purchase a modem and dial-up service if they wish to be connected instantly, or they must go without a connection until the DSL service is enabled and modem installed.
Additionally, once the line is enabled for DSL service there can be interruptions in service. This leaves the user without any method for establishing a connection because most likely the user has given up any previous dial-up capability once the DSL connectivity was enabled.